Imarlkba, historical archaeology and a fossicking economy site in the top end of the Northern Territory

Abstract

Despite almost two decades of field research, historical archaeology in Australia continues to lack a unified theoretical purpose. Thepredominantly descriptive approach which has characterised much recent Australian work could be profitably replaced by an approach which is both archaeological and anthropological and which makes use of data from documentary and, where available, oral sources in addition to archaeological evidence. Such an approach will achieve maximum usefulness in historical sites which are artefacts of early Aboriginal/European interaction. In the present study documentary, oral and archaeological research in the form of surface collection and mapping are combined at Imarlkba, a site produced by a period of European/Aboriginal interaction characterised by the term'fossickingeconomy'. Explanations for site formation processes and their locations are proposed through models derived from all three data sources, concentrating on an apparent dual system of garbage disposal, preferential removal of material from the site by Europeans and Abori ginals and the distribution of artefacts such as wire twitches and coppiced trees. This brief study is dedicated to those participants in the fossicking economy, men and women, black and white, who contributed to Imarlkba's site formation processes.